An Unstable Friendship
by InvaderMads45321
Summary: My OC and Johnny develop a friendship slight romance further on and they both must battle the burden they both carry. Will they help eachother, or will Maddie end up dead? Bad summary... JTHM and OC friendship/ semi romance. T for language.
1. Chapter 1

An ocean of fireflies streamed around the couple as they slowly walked their way through the clearing. Although the sight was rather romantic with the moon shining down upon them and the fireflies lighting up here and there, the couple kept to themselves with their arms crossed over their chests in awkward silence.

The park was deserted, and the eerie silence grew stronger as the two continued their way across the field toward the hill before them.

The female, around 17 had a gothic style, appearing intimidating to the human eye. She wore a simple, grey band t-shirt and regular black skinny jeans along with eyeliner covering her eyes. She didn't really need the makeup, because she already had dark circles rimming her eyes due to lack of sleep, but she insisted on wearing it anyway. A pair of black, worn converse covered her feet as she dragged herself across the open area. A spiked choker covered her neck while black and white arm warmers lined her arms, hiding the burdened secret of cuts and scars that concealed her pale forearms.

The guy, being of around 19, was not detailed in his clothing style. He wore an old-fashioned dress coat, regular black slacks that were as tight as could be, and a thin, horizontal stripped long-sleeved shirt with a letter 'Z?' strewn upon the back. His bulky steel-toed boots contained his feet and black, shaggy un-kept hair lay atop his head while large, dark circles shadowed his eyes.

Striking up a conversation the girl looked over to her companion, "so, er… how is your art collection keeping up, Nny?"

Pushing back the jet black hair away from her ear, she looked up at the starry sky above them, awaiting her answer. "I haven't drawn or painted in several weeks. My imagination has run out to nothing. And whenever I try to paint, the image turns out to be this monstrous piece of shit. I've retired to drawing comics. What about you, Madeleine? Have you persevered in your sketches, or…"

She tugged at one of her arm warmers before answering in a thick voice, "It hasn't progressed into anything. I've only recently been doodling and scribbling and it comes out…not the way I wanted. I guess I'm just loosing the technique. Oh, and you don't have to call me Madeleine. Call me Maddie."

The ground started to slope upwards as she finished her statement. "So, tell me about your comics," Madeleine huffed out once she claimed her place at the top of the hill. Johnny, having not heard this looked at her questioningly, "could you repeat that?"

"Your comics. What are they like?"

The hill continued on in a flat surface, but cut off from a cliff and a single, dead tree at the edge. The fireflies were less up here due to the altitude and the height of the hill, and the vast sky stretched out beyond their view.

Coming to a stop at the ledge, Madeleine sat down and let her legs dangle over the edge, her hands lying in her lap. Johnny came up behind her hesitantly but sat down along beside her, pulling his legs up to his chest and crossing his arms over his knees to lay his chin down and look at the large, polluted city below.

"Happy Noodle Boy? Heh… well, he's real popular with the homeless insane. But yeah, I could show him to you sometime."

Maddie half smiled. Popular for the homeless insane huh? But she pushed away this thought when Johnny interrupted her musings.

"Maddie, why do you wear those coverings on your arms? Are you cold? It's summer, but you wear them, no matter what the temperature is. It's odd."

She frowned at the sudden change of topic and she could feel the scars burning as the fabric moved slightly over the cuts. Madeleine narrowed her eyes before answering, "Why do you wear a long-sleeved shirt and a jacket?"

"I'm naturally cold. Hey, don't avoid the questions." Johnny continued to stare at the buildings that lit up the city, wondering why people tend to avoid such topics.

Maddie sighed, fingering the black and white fabric that covered her arms before pulling both sleeves completely off and showing her mangled, scarred forearms to him. Both of her pale arms were covered in fresh pink cuts, and old scars, her flesh disfigured and disturbing to see. "I don't like myself much."**

Johnny, not noticing the cuts, and still staring at the city, heard her statement and looked over to the young woman slouched beside him, her pale forearms lit from the moonlight. Johnny's breath caught in his throat as he became interested in the intricate slices lining up and down the skin, some cuts fresh, and some old and scarred. "Why the self-abuse? What reason would you possibly have to be in such mourning and sadness to slice open your own skin? What use is it?"

Johnny took one last look over the cuts before taking his eyes back to her face. Her dark blue eyes glistened with tears before she answered, "because the life I wanted wasn't what I expected. I lost my parents due to homicide and murder, and I had to live with my aunt and uncle. I had to learn to live without friendship, and a few years after my parent's death, I started to starve myself. I became anorexic. Yes, I got medical care and soon got back to my normal state, but my mental state was far from healed. So… I turned to cutting." Madeleine's eye twitched with irritation at the attention, and she quickly shoved her gloves back on, trying to clear her mind, and pushing back the tears that were forming in her eyes.

She was stronger than this. So much stronger than this; so why was she crying? She swallowed and hung her head, clutching her abdomen, willing herself to find another topic to change the current conversation. "I finally had enough of my family… so….. I ran. I ended up in this shitty town with almost no money, no job, and no way of getting back home," Maddie's voice cracked a little at the last word, and she cleared her throat before continuing. "Not that long after I got here, I wound up at YOUR HOUSE, hanging upside down, in chains. Heh. I was held hostage. You were going to kill me. Remember that?"

She sniffed and looked over to find Nny smirking and his eyes shined with evil spookiness, continuing on for her. "But you talked me out of it…," Johnny frowned with confusion once more and said, "why do you still trust me? I was going to kill you; rip you limp from LIMB. Yet, you still trust me as if I were your friend. Why?"

Maddie looked up to the stars, gritting her teeth and wondering how to explain.

Several moments passed by in silence as they both sat there, listening to the sound of cars honking and crickets chirping in the distance.

"Because if I didn't have any faith for you or me, I wouldn't be here, talking to you. I would have killed myself long ago. I trust you because it's the only thing I CAN do. And Johnny," Madeleine got up from her place on the cliff, brushing off her backside with one hand before offering the other hand to Johnny, offering him help up.

Maddie smoothed out her shirt as he gripped her hand as he got up, "Johnny, honestly, you're the closest thing I've had to a 'friend'."

Madeleine hung her head, her hair curtaining her flushed face. She was embarrassed by the harsh truth in those words and she was angry at herself for being so damn proud of herself because she finally had a friend. That wasn't the way things worked.

"So…erm… want to go get some coffee and check out a CD shop in the city?"

"It's awfully late, Maddie. Don't you people sleep?" Nny looked over her facial features, noticing a slight rosy color added to her cheeks.

"No. I've recently been diagnosed with sleep insomnia, and I don't have the care for sleeping. Pills don't work, and I'd rather not be haunted with nightmares if I do get the chance of sleep. What about you? Don't you sleep?" Madeleine looked over to Johnny who was staring off into space, but had a serious expression plastered onto his face.

"I detest sleep. I've better things to do. Sleep dissolves what certainty I have left."**

"Understandable," Madeleine said in a hushed tone.

"So," Johnny said brightly to change the subject, "how about that coffee?"

* * *

><p>Hope you liked it. I probably wont continue unless the reviews are ok.<p>

(**) True quote from Johnny the Homicidal Maniac.

No, I don't use OC's very often, but I did it in this story because i FELT LIKE IT. I tried to keep Johnny his normal self... but I don't know...

Review. (:

JTHM fangirl, signing off.


	2. Chapter 2

(MADELEINE'S POV)

Maddie stifled a yawn as they entered a small café. The café consisted of a few tables and booths, color coded in browns and reddish colors. The walls were painted with a slight cream color, and lamps hung over each booth that lined the walls. It being on the far side of town, right on the borders of the city, there was only one customer present whom was sitting at the bar, staring the two down.

Ignoring the sign that said 'wait to be seated', the two made their way casually to the booth in the corner, which was farthest from the door and the other customer who was glaring at the weird clothing style they wore. The rubber seats squeaked and creaked as they sat down, one facing the other.

Not caring about politeness or lady-like manners, Maddie propped her elbows up on the table and looked around trying not to notice Nny, who was staring blankly at her.

There it was.

That awkward silence hanging in the air once more.

Maddie shifted uncomfortably in her seat, desperately thinking of topics to talk about. She didn't know how to socialize. She never had the chance to talk to anyone about anything, making the choice of topic harder than it already was. Besides, if she accidentally chose the wrong thing to talk about, she could find herself back in Johnny's torture chambers, chained to a wall or hooked up to some monstrous device that would probably rip her to shreds or electrocute her, sending her into deadly convulsions of agony and continuous pain.

But that wouldn't matter at all. She had already lost everything she ever loved and hoped for, so what is death to the eyes of the broken? Perhaps it would be an escape.

No. She was stronger. Suicide and death solved nothing.

"Madeleine…?"

"..Whaa…," Looking up from the wooden design of the table, she noticed Johnny was giving her a questioning look, and a waiter was standing at the end of the table, looking the girl up and down.

"Oh… er, sorry, sorry about that. Um, coffee please."

The waiter nodded her head sharply, a smug look crossing her face as she turned toward Johnny. "Water is fine with me. Don't drink coffee." Nny looked away from the worker as he said the last statement in a whisper. His lips formed a thin line across his face as he looked out the window and to the trees on the other side of the glass.

With that, the waiter left and Maddie sighed with relief as she felt the blood rush to her face. Again, she embarrassed herself, but to the childish reason of not paying attention. Shit.

"Is everything okay? Are you feeling well? I could take you home early if you want."

Maddie winced at the idea, and her eyes darted back to Johnny. "No, I'm fine. Everything is fine. I-I…. no. I can't stand to be alone."

Great. There she was again, whining like a helpless little child. When was she ever going to learn?

"So, erm… I told you about my parents. What about yours? Where are they?" Maddie grit her teeth, filtering through more topics to talk about. Johnny mentioned something about 'Nailbunny' when she woke up upside-down in Johnny's house. He kept whispering things about doughboys and 'Nailbunny'. He also mentioned something about keeping a wall wet, but she never gave it much thought because the main highlight of that day was when she was almost killed by the man she somehow trusted, although she knew nothing about him.

Damn, did she choose some fucked up friends or what?

"I don't remember much of my parents. They died too when I was very young, and in the same way as yours did. Some insane serial killer slaughtered my parents. Heh. Maybe that's why I'm so screwed in the head; why we're BOTH screwed in the head."

Madeleine chuckled darkly, but grew silent at Johnny's loss. They had a lot more in common than they thought.

"Once the murderer left, I was alone, in my house with both of my parents, lifeless on the floor. I packed most of my belongings, most of which were just clothes and an empty book, and I left. I took several trains and buses, looking for a house, just isolated enough for nobody to bother me, and but close enough to the city to go out and shop for necessities. Far enough to stay away from shit but close enough to strive off of what I had. So, I found the house I have now, number 777, and made a living. No, I'm not fishing out for any self-complimentary musings, but I didn't need an education. I was smarter than the average kid, and strived off of common sense. Until I found out about the wall…"

Johnny's voice trailed off as he noticed the waiter coming back with a mug of steaming, black coffee and a cup of water. Her apron was stained a little from ketchup and coffee stains, and her jeans had little splotches of flour on them. "Is that all?"

Maddie just nodded still looking at Nny, while Johnny agreed with a, "yeah."

The waiter took out the bill and set it on the edge of the table before walking back to the register and picking up her cellphone.

Madeleine fingered the mug, her fingertips burning from the heat, but she didn't flinch or cry. It was just a slight sting. Picking up the cup, she sipped the sour liquid, burning her lips and tongue and numbing her mouth.

Pursing her lips, Maddie set the coffee down before continuing.

"Tell me about the Wall."

Madeleine pushed her coffee to the side and set her elbows back onto the table, lacing her fingers together; an interested, yet gentle look clouding her face. Maybe this wall is what has led Johnny to where he is now. She might have the chance to help him, and perhaps even help herself in the act.

(JOHNNY'S POV)

He narrowed his eyes at the young woman before him. He didn't remember saying anything about a wall… Did he? Shit, that's not good. This human couldn't possibly understand. Hell, he had so much to say. But how would she be any different than the others? Everyone thought he was some mentally deranged, insane fuck, who had problems. Nobody knew about the doughboys or Nailbunny. Nobody could possibly comprehend what hid deep within.

Could she sympathize, or would she act just like all the others?

Johnny leaded over the table, giving Madeleine a serious expression, but his eyes betrayed him, shining with terror.

"It won't stop taunting me. Wet blood keeps it from escaping. The cage wears away, and the only way to restrain it is the blood. _I'm a slave, and it won't let me go."_

"What won't let you go, Johnny?" Madeleine just pressed on, looking respectful and interested as if she cared.

Maybe she did care.

"I don't know. I don't want to know what it is, but it's keeping me chained to it. It…"

Johnny's voice trailed off again, leaving himself to his inner conversation.

It wouldn't stop. Maybe he WAS crazy like all those victims said he was. Maybe he was some deranged psycho who isolated himself for the better.

"Nny, look at me. No, LOOK AT ME. You are NOT crazy, alright? You're not a psycho, Nny. Nny, maybe-maybe you can find a substitute for blood. Have you tried that?"

Johnny looked up and into her eyes, gaping in surprise. Did he say what he thought? Fuck… wait.

She didn't come to conclusions about the wall not being real. She defended him. "Wh… what? You don't believe I'm… insane?"

Maddie put on a frown and straightened her spine. "What would make you think that? Yeah, I think it's sick and sad that you are forced to feed a wall human blood, but that isn't your choice. It's forced against your WILL, Johnny. Damn and you think that I think you have problems? No."

A few moments passed, Johnny still gaping at Madeleine in shock and surprise until the waiter had come back to the table. Maddie glanced at the coffee which she barely touched and pulled out a thin, black billfold.

"No, let me pay," Johnny insisted, "you're new here, and you need to save that for other things. I _insist._"

Madeleine gave a disapproving glance to Nny before putting her wallet back into her pocket.

Johnny set a five onto the table and added with a sigh, "could you get a to-go coffee?"

Johnny added a dollar for tax as the waiter headed back to the kitchen. Setting his hands politely in his lap, he looked back out to the window and gazed at the moon in silence.

"I've tried it already. Substitutes won't work." Johnny thought back to the Wall, and remembered hearing scratches going down on the other side of the wall. It was worse than that infuriating and eye-twitching sound of nails going across a chalkboard.

It's talons and bones scraping into the barriers, cutting deeper and deeper into the wooden panels of the wall to taste the dry blood, to seduce the evil glow of fire burning within. It's tentacles pushing at it's cage, and it's teeth grazing at the wood on the other side.

Footsteps sounded beside the booth, signaling that the waiter was there with a to-go cup of coffee and the receipt in her hand. She placed both onto the table and grunted out, "enjoy your night."

Madeleine took one last sip of her black coffee which was a little cold now, before getting out of the booth.

"C'mon. I want to go to one more place before the night is up," Madeleine said in a relatively optimistic tone. Grabbing her coffee, she left with Johnny walking along silently behind her.

* * *

><p>Tension at the coffee shop. Johnny and Maddie find out they have more in common then they thought.<p>

I'm going to TRY to restrain myself from adding songs into the story... I'll try, but I won't promise anything. add in the review if you WANT a song in there.

Hope you liked this chapter.

Review. I need to know your personal opinion on the story. Do you like it a little? Is it good? Do you love it? Is it worth subscribing/ putting it on alert? Or is it the worst shit you've ever read? I accept any review. Reviews are what keep me updating my stories.


	3. Chapter 3

(MADELEINE'S POV)

The sky was turning a blood red shade in the distance, stating that sunrise was just minutes away. A cool breeze blew through the air, and under their feet as the two slowly made their way through the streets of the city. The silence between the couple grew less awkward and tense.

Sometimes silence was better.

Feeling more comfortable with Johnny now, Madeleine let her hands fall to her sides, swinging them casually, but still clenched in fists. Living in the world she's in now, you could never let your caution down. No, she wasn't afraid of Johnny; yeah, just because he tended to kill people, didn't make him a bad person.

He was forced to kill. Yes, he may enjoy his victim's pain and suffering, but… Madeleine herself hated humans in general, so she secretly liked their agony as well.

Johnny however, still wary of the girl walking calmly beside her, had his hands shoved into his pockets and un-kept hair hanging in his face.

Both Nny and Maddie looked intimidating and abnormal due to their style of clothing and their attitude as they walked quietly through the streets, glaring at anyone who dared cast them a glance in their direction.

Noticing her arm warmers which were loosened and wrinkled at her wrists, her scars and cuts showed, the criss-cross slices open to publicity. Madeleine quickly tugged at the black and white covering before she bumped into a street light pole on the corner. "The fuck…?"

Looking up, she glared at the light, before mentally cursing herself for being so stupid. Blushing, she let her hair fall around her face, shading her skin from Johnny seeing the change in color. She heard a snicker to her left to find a chubby man walk past her, a sneer plastered onto his face, "stupid ass."

"Screw you, bitch," Madeleine looked over to Johnny who had an incredulous expression, eyes narrowed at the man.

* * *

><p>(JOHNNY'S POV)<p>

Johnny was about to open his mouth, ready for another topic, but abruptly stopped as Madeleine walked into the street light. She mumbled out a curse before rubbing her forehead and stared at the pole, a flick of irritation burning in her eyes. Her bangs fell around her face just as an overweight man walked by, snickering at the clumsy woman, "stupid ass."

A ball of anger shot up from the depths of Johnny's heart as he widened his eyes at the man. A frown fell upon his face as he stared at him, a death threat pounding in his ears. Why did humans have to be so goddamned impolite and rude? And here was yet, one more, someone having to ruin the outlook upon humanity.

Natural instinct took over his actions and he started to stride over to the man several feet away from him, ignoring the comeback that Madeleine spit back. Closer… Just a bit closer….

Thin, warm fingers circled around his bicep, making his conscience and instinct waver. He struggled against the grip and took another step toward the man, "since when did you have the ability to just roam around and fuck around with people, you jacka…" Maddie placed her whole body in front of Johnny, grabbing his shoulders and looking into his dark, deep set eyes, making yet once again, his conscience waver.

"Nny, this ISN'T YOUR FIGHT. Look at me. Nny, DAMMIT JOHNNY LOOK AT ME!"

Her hands felt oddly warm against his t-shirt, making him shiver with uneasiness. Nobody touched him. He didn't like it when he made contact with skin or people. If Johnny became unstable and acted against Madeleine, he could put her life at risk.

The man whom was walking away from the two looked over his shoulder, snickered once more and added, "yeah, let your bitch do the dirty work-"

"You, FUCK OFF BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND." Madeleine's lip curled in disgust before she took her attention back to the squirming man in her grip. "What's he gonna do? Kill me? Yeah…FAG; THAT'S LIKELY."

That ignorant, insufferable, little-

Immediately, Maddie let go of Johnny, and let him do his magic.

His vision was blurred by a crimson haze, but this didn't keep him from attacking the man. Getting down on one knee, he pulled out two knives, hidden within his steel-toed boots, and gracefully got up and started sprinting toward his target. A spark of excitement and the sudden adrenaline rush, pushed him harder, and closer yet to his prey.

His pupils had shrunk to tiny specks as he threw a knife at the man. At the sudden force of the stab, the man flew several feet before he touched the ground, scraping his face along with a blade protruding from his spinal cord.

Johnny ran up to the paralyzed man and crouched down to him, lips only centimeters away from his ear, "perhaps you should have chosen your words more WISELY!" Nny ran the other knife across his shoulder blades, staining his grey business suit with blood.

Johnny stuck a hand into his old-fashioned jacket, and pulled out dozens of small, empty vials.

Victims who took the chance to look at the attack, ran away, screaming bloody-murder, daring not to call for help or get close to the scene that took place on the sidewalk. Madeleine walked up to them, but stood away far enough, wary of Johnny in his unstable actions.

Pulling out the blade from his back, he cut yet another opening in the man's back, making him screech in agony. Cutting the cloth away from his skin, he supported the man with a foot as he held the vials to the deep cuts. Finding his actions to be harder than expected, he searched once more in his suit and pulled out a funnel. The plastic funnel was thin, making it easy to carry, and wide, giving Johnny the ability to collect the blood in an easier way.

Stabbing him once again in the side of his back and getting an agonizing cry in response, he pulled down, ripping his flesh, and continued with his work, cutting out deep squares of skin and collecting the blood with the funnel and vials.

After another minute of gasping and pure pain, the man fell, limp on the sidewalk.

After collecting as much blood as he could, Johnny stood up, putting the vials back into his coat, grabbed the man by the collar of his ripped and torn up business suit, and took him to an alley not too many yards away. A deathly, psychotic smirk covered his face as he set the dead man down beside the dumpster.

"He deserved it."

Johnny snapped out of his phase, and looked back to the opening of the alley to find Madeleine with her arms crossed, and a blank expression strewn upon her face.

"Shit… I-I… er…" Johnny stuttered, suddenly remembering what all had happened. He forgot that Maddie was still with him, a victim to the murder scene. This would scar her in ways unimaginable. He shouldn't have gone after the man. He shouldn't have agreed meeting up with Madeleine. No.

"Fuck…" Johnny whispered, looking down at his partially dried, blood-stained hands. "I'm a… monster. A fucking monster…" And with that, Johnny fled. He ran down to the end of the alley, ignoring Madeleine's voice which was ringing in his head. "No, wait, come back! Johnny! JOHNNY!"

He ran through the streets, cars honking as he jumped over the hoods of cars and toward the hill where they once were. His legs ached as he ran due to famine and loss of sleep, but he kept his pace.

He wasn't worth friendship. He wasn't worth her time, or patience. What would happen if that were her? What would possibly happen if he killed her just as brutally because of some meaningless words?

Farther and farther, he ran, but Madeleine was still on his trail. Yes, Nny was much faster and farther than Maddie, but she had a sense of navigation and knew where he lived.

His breath was becoming more and more burdened, but he pushed himself faster still.

He couldn't risk the chance of his only friend to die on his own behalf. He wouldn't allow it.

* * *

><p>(Author's Note)<p>

More of a filler chapter. I told you more about what was happening rather than what they were thinking; the next chapter will be more of a psychological chapter.

YAY! GORE! ^_^

I am taking SuicideToaster's advice and will probably change this into more of a (relationship/ don't kill me, I'm your friend, I trust you with my whole life) story.

The romance will come up soon enough.

"Remember, beauty is ephemeral, Pain is forever." - Wobbly Headed Bob

Review! I LOVE the reviews! I love em' good.

Hope you liked it.

Why the vials? Why does he need the blood? I WAANTED MORE SCREAMING! MORE PAIN!- you might say.

Answer: I wanted to fill you in on how Johnny took the blood back home to strengthen the barrier on the Wall. (Again, filler chapter)

This story is FAR from being over, so don't expect me to just cut off any time soon.


	4. Chapter 4

(MADELEINE'S POV)

"JOHNNY!" Johnny was just a speck in the distance, determined to flee away from the victim.

Madeleine, being the insane woman she was, ran after him, calling his name in a desperate plea to stop, but knew perfectly well that Johnny would simply ignore her.

She sprinted after him, continuously shouting after him as the sun rose slowly over the horizon. Pink and purple hues raided the sky as a blood red shine colored the fluffy clouds above.

Her legs were aching, and the breath in her throat stung as she panted. She was close to him now, and could see the black cloth of his coat whisk through the doorway of his house.

Slowing down now, cautious of where she stepped and wary of the "keep off the loose soil" sign, Maddie stepped up to the doorway, regaining her breath, and forcing her heartbeat down.

The door was flung open and Madeleine could see clearly inside.

The den was a rather small space, only filled with a couch, a television set with antennas, several wooden chairs placed in random areas. Several windows lined the chipped, old walls, their openings sealed off with splintered, wooden planks. The lights were turned off, and gave off the house an eerie look.

After hearing loud thumps from downstairs with several inaudible screams, Madeleine started for the stairs at the end of the room. Going down three stairs at a time, she stopped suddenly, gawking at the…. She didn't know how to put what she saw. It was so… unexpected.

She spotted Johnny immediately, but found the Wall that he had mentioned several times before. With the wooden wall plastered with dry and fresh blood, the room gave off an irony stench. Of course, she pushed away the sickening growth inside of her, and spotted two Styrofoam doughboys, which were hobbling around the room, obviously not noting her presence within the room.

Gaping at the doughboys, her eyes widened, and her mouth hung open in complete shock. One had deathly swirls in it's eyes, wearing a tie and a 'FUCK' shirt. Sitting atop his head was a Pillsburry chef's hat with ghouls dotted on it, and the doughboy had a serious expression, forming it's lips into a thin line which was slanted.

The other doughboy wearing the same style of chef had, but black, wore a vertical black and white striped shirt along with a tie around his neck. His eyes were white with black rims; lines moving away from the pupil along with arrows pointing away on the sides of his eyes. It, too, had a very serious, but intrigued look on it's face as he watched Johnny scream at the wall.

Johnny, whom was chucking blood-filled vials at the Wall, muttered and yelled out curses of anger before falling to his knees.

He threw one last vial to the wall, the glass shattering and blood coating a thin layer on the wall. He reached toward the stained wood before him, running his fingertips across the dry coating of blood. His hand clenched into a fist, and he pounded his hand onto the floor, before he let his tears roam on his face, a silent plea…a wish for it all to end.

"Johnny?"

(JOHNNY'S POV)

He let his mind take over, taking his body to his house, passing the couch, passing his chairs, and he scrambled down the stairs, wasting no time.

"SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME? DO YOU SEE WHAT I'VE BECOME?"

Johnny threw the bloody tubes to the wall, the glass shattering against the wood as the blood seeped into the wooden planks behind. The restless scratching on the other side grew louder, as he yelled at it. "A SLAVE! WHAT THE HELL, COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE DONE, TO DESERVE SUCH CRUELTY…"

Two vials.

"AGONY,"

Four more vials.

"SO MUCH… FUCKING DISTRESS,"

Another eight vials to the wall. Yet the grinding of wood and bone echoed in his head, shaking his mental stability.

"WHY WAS I CHOSEN TO LIVE SUCH A GODDAMNED, FUCKED," one vial, "UP," two vials, "SHIT," three more, "SMEARED", five, "LIFE!"

"Hmm…" Mr. Fuck and P.D. looked over Johnny, intrigued by his sudden outburst. They became so fixated onto Johnny, not even noticing the woman standing several feet behind them.

Johnny fell to his knees, the sound of the scratching so dominant in his head, he believed it was a taunt.

Reaching out a hand, he stroked the dry blood which was caked onto the wall, and he heard a low growl come from behind the Wall. Yet, it wasn't even a growl, it was more of a gurgle mixed in with the quietest shrieking.

Why…?

Pounding his fist into the floorboards, he let go. A silent river of tears flowing from his face in painful suffering.

A gentle whisper protruded into his thoughts, just a whisper which was hidden from the scratching, the shrieking, the gurgling, the sobbing. It was mute to Johnny, but he knew it was there.

The voice sounded in his head once more, ringing through his ears and into his head.

Noise. So much noise…

Johnny began to dig his nails into the wooden floorboards, gathering splinters under his nails. Blood droplets formed at his fingertips, and his knuckles grew white at the pressure against the floor.

A sharp ringing filled his ears, his vision blacked at the edges as the blood rushed to his head. Moments passed, feeling like minutes. Minutes passed feeling like years.

Opening his eyes, he stared at the floorboard underneath him, his ears and head cleared for only precious seconds. "Johnny?"

"SILENCE! NNY HAS NO USE OF YOUR PESTERING AND IGNORANT MUSINGS!"

Mr. Eff stared the visitor down with anger as P.D. said the phrase.

"Johnny… You are not a monster."

Her voice was silk. It was soft, and gentle; a comfort.

"Johnny… listen to me. We can fix this. I can HELP you."

Pushing himself back onto his knees, he straightened his spine and hung his head.

"Perhaps you did NOT see me drain that… innocent man of his life. Perhaps you did NOT see me paralyze him, cut into his shoulders and skin, take away his last breath… Or is it all the truth? Where is the sense in this? Where is the just? The MEANING? Why was it I THAT WAS CHOSEN, TO BE SO… SO…so….. Madeleine, I'm afraid you must leave. Now."

"No, I'm staying until all of this is figured out, I'm not LEAVING YOU HERE TO JUST…"

Within a swift motion of his body, he pulled his knife out of his boot and pinned her to the opposite wall, the blade held at a dangerous length from her jugular.

"Perhaps I did not make myself _clear_. Madeleine," Johnny's eyes narrowed, looking into her eyes which were somewhat fearful, but restrained, keeping a possessive look on her facial features.

"When I say leave, you leave. I am not threatening you because I want to rip you to shreds, I am not threatening you because I hate you; I am threatening you because I don't want to see you hurt, or perhaps killed on my OWN behalf."

Johnny pulled the knife away from Maddie's neck, and fingered the sharp tip of the blade, cutting his forefinger for entertainment. Johnny widened his eyes in growing suspicion, and sudden defensiveness as Madeleine closed her hand on Johnny's, which was wrapped tightly around the handle of the blade.

She traced Johnny's white knuckles that lined his hand, as his lips formed a tight, straight line across his face.

"Johnny…before I leave, I want you to know something… After I had lost my parents… my only source of love and hope, I didn't believe I could make it. I didn't believe that I could hold onto what little I had left. Each and every one of the cuts covering my arms resemble a story. They all have a reason."

Maddie sighed before going on. Her eyes started to shine with little droplets of tears.

"When I came here, and I met you, hanging here, in your torture chambers, I thought that would be it. It would finally put me at peace. Death would solve it. But before that night was up, we talked, you and I; we… something between us grew. I didn't know what it was. But I knew that it was something worth keeping me alive. I had the courage to go up against you, to keep you from killing me. I trusted you. I still do, to this very moment. And now that I think about it," Madeleine looked up, straight into Johnny's eyes, "I know what kept me alive. I figured out my reason for still being here. I figured out my reason to quit the self-abuse."

Johnny's face grew softer and less tense, now used to the feeling of her skin upon his own.

"You we're the reason."

Johnny was taken aback. He backed up a couple of steps, releasing himself of Madeleine's grip, unsure of how he should react. The doughboys, too, were gaping in shock and surprise. But before Nny had the chance to make up his mind of what to do, Madeleine walked back up the stairs and through the front door in silence.

* * *

><p>(Author's Note)<p>

Heh...

What next? No, I don't want to make Nny too OOC, but it has some changes.

MADDIE'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE DOUGHBOYS! ^_^ heh. what more could happen in this fucked up world?

The ROMANCE is coming, no worries; but I'll keep the romance at the average level. Nny isnt... erm... like that... (If you know what I mean...)

Cliffhangers. Gotta love them cliffhangers.

For any of those who read this and think that Johnny might be too OOC, keep it to yourself, I KNOW what I'm getting into.

Reviews are the best things EVER in my opinion. I need any opinion, but keep your opinion about the OOC down to a minimum.

Love you all for taking the time to read my stories. I love your support.


	5. Chapter 5

(JOHNNY'S POV)

"Wh…What?" Madeleine was gone by now, halfway down the street from where Johnny's shack of a house lay, leaving Nny and the possessed doughboys dumbstruck.

Johnny was built or homicide; for death. He was a servant to a wall which fed on _human blood_. He LIKED seeing other people's pain. He killed; He wasn't supposed to be created for friendship, for trust.

How could a woman who saw him kill an innocent man so gruesomely…possibly… find him suitable and 'safe'? Trustworthy?

"Nny," Mr. Eff started, "you do understand what she is hiding don't you? Emotions…."

"What?" Johnny turned to the doughboy, an incredulous look on his face. He shook his head, baffled at the mere thought of Madeleine having… feelings for him. It was just too… wrong. Johnny could not even bear to think about passion or feeling that way for another human again; the only way Johnny loved another human was to, _**'Immortalize the Moment'**_, and kill Madeleine just as he tried with Devi.

After Devi, he thought he'd never feel that way for a woman again. Romance and pleasure were not programmed into him like they should have been.

_**It is such a frightening world to be alone in…**_

Ignoring the doughboys' rabble about Madeleine, he went back upstairs, his mind clouded with confusion and wonder.

Maybe he could… maybe he should… no. Yes. Go after her.

She couldn't possibly comprehend the dangers that come from within; you wouldn't want to risk to lose that pretty little face, now would you?

Time is passing you by… go find her; make it all worth it. _**True pleasure… Smile and FEEL IT!**_

His hands were numb, making Johnny drop the knife. He, however, did not hear the blade clink onto the floor, for both P.D., Mr. Eff's, and his own conscience(Nailbunny) invading his thoughts, more blood collecting in his head, making it pound harder.

Shaking his head, Nny looked out the door into the sunlight. Clouds were coming in, covering the sky in a depressing grey hue. A rumble of thunder rang out over the house, rattling the house, and clearing his head of the voices once more.

Gritting his teeth, hoping with all his might that he was making the right choice, he ran out into the humid, damp air, and searched.

He focused on what he would say… and tried putting it into words, desperately trying to figure out what would happen. He had no weapon, and no will to kill her; but that would easily be changed if he let the monster that he was, take over.

He ran. To the coffee shop, through the streets, to the CD store, and to her hotel room, in which she lived in most of the time. Her door, however, being locked, and hearing no movement on the other side of the door, stated that the room was empty.

He had searched everywhere for Madeleine, leaving only one, last place she could have gone to. He stopped on the sidewalk, turned around, and looked up to the towering cliff that was so far away. He could just spot the dead tree, it's roots clinging onto the edge.

And sitting right on the edge, was a speck. A speck in the distance, but he knew it was her.

(MADELEINE'S POV)

She pulled her feet all the way to the top of the hill, the storm growing steadily stronger, coming closer and closer yet. A rumble of thunder rang out through the sky, and soon followed a light sprinkle of raindrops.

It was odd, that sick feeling that burned within her. She felt nothing like it before, but it was as if Johnny had triggered the sickness, crawling and picking at her innards and the beating pulse of her heart. It forced the heartbeat to pound harder, and faster; a warm feeling of security and some other thing that she couldn't define.

She had never truly felt the feeling before. It worried her, the emotion alien to her.

Tiny crows feet lined her forehead as her nose scrunched up in confusion and unfamiliarity. What WAS IT, that gave her that warm… horrid feeling inside of her? She hated the sickening sensation; despised it, but she loved the fuzz and static that forced her heart rate to skip a beat.

Oh shit… it couldn't be.

No. He was just a friend… just a friend who needed help and… hope.

He was just… was he more? Is that what she was hiding deep within her? Is it… passion? Is it love? Could she be possessed by meaningless emotions that were more than likely going to tear her apart(literally)?

Nny wasn't… he didn't… he wouldn't.

He was not that kind of man who would… love.

Another rumble of thunder shook the clouds above, and the rain grew to a steady rainfall, wetting her hair, and sticking to her face. A surprised tear mixed with the rain falling on her face, adding to the smudged makeup that created lines across her face. A web of black tears.

Her clothes clung to her body now, her hair plastered to her face, and her shoes starting to get soggy; but she didn't care. Her appearance wouldn't change a thing. She wasn't currently trying to impress anyone at the moment, and she loved the rain, she welcomed it.

She got up, and stood on her feet, the ground getting mushy with mud. No, the mud did not get on her jeans however, but she was completely soaked. She took her eyes to the sky, the dark clouds almost completely covering the view.

The dark grey and black clouds were glorious as they lit up with lightning. A loud boom followed up just as someone said her name.  
>"MADELEINE!"<p>

"MADELEINE!"

Maddie froze, another tear escaping her eyes. The rain fell harder, her soaked clothes weighing her down. She looked down at her shirt, assuring that her visitor could not see through her clothes, before turning around and looking at Johnny in the eye. Her stomach did a flip as she hung her head, looking at him.

Raindrops fell from the tips of her hair and face as she hung her head. "I left. You asked me to leave, and I did so. What more do you want?" Maddie straightened herself from her slumped position, and raised her head.

Johnny walked up to her, an apologetic look on his face. "I just want to straighten things out; maybe figure things out without fucking the moment up. Everything that has happened, from my rotten childhood to the shit-smeared life I am currently living today, has eaten at my every chance of happiness. Every day is just a tiresome repeat of the previous day, ending with that same, familiar disappointment. My wish of freedom unfulfilled, until I finally met _you._ There are so many things, so many problems, so many emotions that I need to explain, something that nobody else could comprehend… but you were an exception. You listened. You defended me."

Johnny looked to the sky, growing blacker and steadily stronger with stormy clouds and winds, he, himself getting soaked in the pouring rain.

Sighing to herself, Madeleine started to walk down the hill, leaving Johnny standing there looking after her. Not hearing anyone following her, she looked back, a pitying look on her face and waved her arm, signaling for Johnny to follow. "C'mon. We're going to the hotel. We can dry off, get a new change of clothes, and straighten this out."

(Author's Note)

I kinda ended this chapter badly… not really the way I wanted to.

I'm bringing back Nny's epic choice of words… (oh, gosh, it is so much harder than it looks, writing Johnny's dialogue in the story… trying to keep it original and detailed… GAH!)

Hope any readers out there like the story line and how it's leading up to the climax. Horray! I'm on a writing streak! For any people who like this story, it's your lucky day! I'll probably update once again today, so be on your toes and ready for the next chapter!

Reviews are my LIFE! Review!

Agh… I might be going OOC with this story…. Ehh…. But I'll try to keep it as original as I can.

"_Why are people so… unpleasant?" –Johnny C._


	6. Chapter 6

(AUTHOR'S NOTE) AWWH CRAHP! I forgot to add the disclaimer for the chapters…

Well, here goes.

Johnny, Nailbunny, D-Boy, Mr. Eff, and all of the original characters belong to Jhonen Vasquez.

Not Me.

InvaderMads45321(me) owns Maddie/Madeleine and the dude who got killed by Johnny in my previous chapters.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p>(MADELEINE'S POV)<p>

The rain was pouring buckets and buckets of rain onto them as they scrambled into the hotel, drenched and dripping. Maddie wiped away her smeared makeup on her face as she guided her companion to her room.

They walked up the stairs in silence as their feet squished with water. A flash of lightning lit up the hotel, following a loud boom of thunder overhead.

She brought out her billfold and took out her key card, opening up her locked suite. Allowing Johnny in first, she noticed that room service had cleaned up her mess of clothes and junk, along with setting up her double-bed and switching out the towels in the bathroom.

Sighing, she went to the closet and picked out some grey sweatpants, some new undergarments, and a black long-sleeved shirt.

Remembering her visitor, who was just as drenched as she was, looked over to Johnny who was fixated on the raindrops creating lines on the glass. Another crack of lightning bolted through the sky, swimming through the stormy clouds and getting angry rumbles in response. She shivered at the image of Johnny, and cringed when her stomach grew queasy with emotion.

Madeleine looked back to her closet and picked out a pair of her long, crimson pajama pants and added a grey thermal, long-sleeved t-shirt. Hopefully they would fit. She hurried toward the bathroom, brought out a white towel, and retreated back into the main room of her suite.

Walking up to Nny, she nudged him sharply in his rib cage, forcing him to snap around in confusion and surprise. Shoving the small bundle of clothes into his hands, Maddie stated, "Here's a change of clothes. Hopefully they'll fit…erm… when you're done changing, set your other clothes onto the chair over there to help them dry off. Don't EVEN THINK," Madeleine started, with putting up her hand to cut off Johnny's disapproving reply, "about keeping yourself in those wet clothes. You'll get sick. I'll be in the bathroom, I'll take a quick shower, and we'll continue from where we left off."

She started ringing out her hair before hesitating, giving Johnny one last, reassuring glance before entering the bathroom. Locking the door, she went to the shower, and turned the water to the highest temperature, the room filling with steam, hoping that some hot water would ease her thoughts.

* * *

><p>(JOHNNY'S POV)<p>

After Madeleine closed the door, Nny stared at the crumpled ball of clothes in his hand before closing the blinds. Reluctantly, Johnny set the clothes onto the bed, and he started to pry off his own, soaking apparel.

He frowned at the thought of changing into someone else's clothes as he dried off his unnaturally thin body.

Shrugging into the shirt, he noticed that it fit relatively well, along with the pants; the hem of the pajamas lying just below the ankle.

Once he was completely situated with the clothes, along with putting the clothes onto the chair sitting beside the bed, Johnny took the towel and started drying his hair before hearing Madeleine singing the tune to a song that Johnny found familiar. Taking the towel away from his head, Johnny looked to the door of the bathroom, trying to figure out the lyrics to the song.

Of course, with the wall muffling the sound of her voice, it didn't help Johnny figure out the name, but he remembered the band. Madeleine couldn't quite reach the lower notes because the lead singer was, however, male, keeping her from singing the lower notes.

No matter, her vocals were perfect, hitting almost every note correctly.

Her voice returned to the chorus of the song, and Johnny went to sit in the chair, facing the window. Unfolding the blinds, he watched the large city below become consumed in the pouring rain.

The chorus repeated again, and he joined in with his own voice, keeping it to a whisper. Johnny fingered the soft fabric of his shirt, and looked down to find a thin strip of red lining the cuff of the shirt. Of course, it was just a stain, but it recalled the memory of Johnny seeing her wrists.

Which cut gave the gift of this stain?

The sound of the water was shut off, and her voice grew almost inaudible. Johnny frowned when Madeleine stopped singing, before looking back out into the rain.

It was always reassuring to know that there was ONE type of weather that was fucked up.

Johnny continued to hum to the beat of the song, while he pulled up his legs to his chest and set his forearms onto his knees, laying his head onto his arms.

The bathroom door opened, letting out a burst of steam at the entrance of the room. Johnny waited until she was finished with her business before he heard the bed squeak. Moments passed, a tension filtering within the room.

Johnny, eyes downcast now, said, "You've got an amazing voice, such detail and precise coordination. Why did you stop?" Johnny looked to Madeleine as he said those words, and found her, sitting criss-crossed on the bed, dressed in loose sweatpants and a long-sleeved, v-neck shirt. Her hair was brushed, but still soggy, and she had not applied her makeup. Attractive, but concealing.

A large strip of red crossed her cheeks as Madeleine's eyes widened in shock.

* * *

><p>(MADELEINE'S POV)<p>

"You heard me singing? Oh… shit…"

Her voice trailed off as she looked away from Johnny, dark crimson shading her face in sheer embarrassment. "But you stopped." Johnny looked back to the window; a slight frown formed his lips as his eyes glazed over, deep in thought.

She felt as if she was going to hurl from the emotion that pushed at her insides. She knew that she wouldn't vomit, and she had to know some answers, soon. She needed to know why Johnny was acting so defensively, and maybe set things at peace.

"Johnny, answer me this. I need you to be completely truthful and open for this answer," Maddie bit her lip to keep it from trembling. "Why didn't you kill me?"

If Nny had continued on with the murder, she wouldn't have to deal with the emotions that built up inside of her, pushing at the barriers of her mind. She wouldn't have to deal with missing her parents, and the memory of their blood, staining the floorboards of her old home.

She wouldn't have to deal with the people who, somehow in conversation, bringing up parents, apologize for the loss, bringing back the nightmare that happened so many years ago.

She wouldn't have to deal with the people who dared look at her, judge what she looked like, and what she did. No, it didn't cause a great deal of pain and irritation to her, but it pinpricked at what all she had to deal with, pushing her closer and closer to the edge, the brink of insanity.

She wouldn't have to deal with the memory of her aunt and uncle, abusive, and drunk almost every night, planning her escape to this city while being tortured from self-abuse.

The room was filled with the sound of rain pattering on the window and roof of the hotel; Johnny stared at the glass, his eye twitching with worry, "Humanity disgraces itself. People; ticks chewing away, just draining each other from sanity. They hunger for the distressed plea, a reason to continue to put down the innocent, forcing their victims into worlds of mental instability. It gives them power. You, Madeleine, differ from those fucks, never judging the appearance, or the warped subject that thrives within their minds. Humanity is extinct of people such as you; perfection within a world residing in shit."

Johnny got up, and flexed his fingers, cracking them absentmindedly and continued, "I took you to my chambers because I needed blood. Not yours in particular, but because the wall was in need of a new coat. Although you were chained to the wall, hanging upside down with torture toys surrounding you, you listened. Yes, you questioned, you had the terrified look on your face as you looked at me, you cried, begged to talk. You didn't cry to persuade me to keep you alive, you cried for me."

Johnny turned around, walked to the bed, and sat down on the side. Glancing up, Johnny looked at Madeleine with narrowed eyes, his face gentle. "You did not deserve the torment that I would've inflicted upon you, so… I let you go."

Oh, WHY was her face so INCREDIBLY hot? Fucking blushes…

Madeleine popped her fingers, trying to entertain herself from the ongoing conversation, before finding the words for a reply.

"I did cry for you. But Johnny, you were the only person who had the _CARE_ to talk to me. I saw something in you that I couldn't find in anyone else. Yes, you are a homicidal maniac, but for specific purposes, and yes, you DO enjoy hearing their pain, but I personally like the sound too. It's like music. And I LISTENED to what you had to say. I know what it's like, that tiresome feeling burning within you, that sick, self-loathing, picking away at your awareness, the_ voices in your head_. I know what it is, to want it all to end. Everyone just seems to pass you by."

Getting up, Maddie paced the room, before coming to a halt in front of Nny,

"But it seems that the friendship between you and I is… I don't know. I trust you with my_ life_, Johnny. But it seems that you can't trust yourself."

* * *

><p>(JOHNNY'S POV)<p>

This was true. The doughboys were getting stronger by the moment, Nailbunny was almost never there anymore, and he was growing steadily crazier… the sound of the thing behind the wall… grinding its needle sharp teeth across the wood…

Johnny shivered with resentment at the harsh reality of her words. Her voice a comfort, but the words we're knives, slicing away at his eardrums.

Oh, how he missed Nailbunny. How he missed sanity.

"But I'll help you through this. I'll mend the void, and replace it with the feeling of a friendship. Shit, I sound cheesy and sappy. But Johnny, we can fix this."

Madeleine walked up to him, her dark blue eyes fixed on his blue-ish hazel ones. Another boom of thunder boomed, and the lights in the room flickered, but they still did not take their eyes off of each other.

"We can fix this." Johnny's eye twitched as Maddie touched his pale face, wiping away a tear that managed to escape his eyes. Her warm skin brushing the side of his face sent an unexpected rush through him, a feeling of electricity shooting through his chest cavity.

Maddie motioned him to get up, and before he knew what was happening, he was embraced in a sickly warm hug.

Unsure of what to do, knowing that he had never had a hug since his young childhood years, which were shared with parents, he simply did what Madeleine was doing.

He circled his arms around her fragile body, as to not accidentally crush her**. Her hair smelled like flowers from the shampoo and conditioner she used and he laid his head on her shoulder, letting yet another tear fall from his face.

Hot needles tore away at his insides, as Maddie's velvety voice starting to sing.

"Even if I say… It'll be alright, still I hear you say… you want to end your life," her voice choked at the last note before going on with the chorus, "…now and again we try to just stay alive… maybe we'll turn it all around 'cause it's not too late, it's never too late…"

It was the song she was singing in the shower just several minutes before, and it sickened Johnny with the undefined emotion once more, his stomach flipping and turning at the sudden contact with Madeleine.

Pushing this away, he continued the song, but said the lyrics instead of singing them. He didn't sing in front of anyone.

"Maybe we'll turn it all around 'cause it's not too late… it's never too late." He whispered out the last word as more silent tears fled down his pale face.

Madeleine was stronger than anyone he ever knew. Perhaps a friendship or maybe, if he was careful enough… maybe a relationship.

Damn.

What a fucked up life.

* * *

><p>(AUTHOR'S NOTE)<p>

Long chapter.

Nny is WAYYY TOO OOC in this one… but who really cares? You KNOW you liked it! ^_^ Everyone loves a cute, cheesy, sappy scene.

If Johnny found out about this story, he would probably slaughter me….. considering the fact that he doesn't tend to act like this… but it adds to the cuteness.

The song that Maddie and Johnny add in the story is called "Never Too Late" by...*drum roll*...Three Days Grace.

The lyrics belong only to Three Days Grace; not me! (:

Review, review for your LIVES! (and btw, I LOVE the idea of anyone reviewing multiple times… makes me SO happy that you enjoy the story! And I want to thank you for the support, thank you SO much.)

:')

(**) From experience with Johnny's earlier hostages, if he didn't have access to any weapons, he would finish them off by strangling them or breaking their bones…(hey, it's my story, I add what I want…)

"_**It's such an easy thing to say you hate something… so easy to hate…what a piece of shit I am…I ca… can't believe I went the easy way.. I thought I knew… I wish I knew something… anything.**_

_**Ehhh… Actually… your head looks more like a reject jelly bean."**_

_**-Johnny C./ Jhonen Vasquez**_


	7. Chapter 7

(AUTHOR'S NOTE) Nothing belongs to me, except for the hotel workers. And nothing happened between Johnny and Maddie… yet.

* * *

><p>(MADELEINE'S POV)<p>

Looking up from her diary, she noticed that Nny had fallen asleep. _Awwh, shit… he'll be mad_.**

Madeleine smirked at him, finding his appearance and quiet snore quite funny.

Johnny was sprawled out on the bed, one of his arms hanging off the side, and his mouth slightly open. His head was buried under his other arm, but you could still see part of his face which looked innocent and gentle.

His feet hung off the edge of the bed, but every now and then, he would twitch in his sleep, stating that he must be dreaming.

She held her breath to keep her from letting her nausea take over. How could something so dangerous, so messed in the head from demons be so… look so…

Perfectly innocent?

Her stomach grumbled and flipped from the sight of the man in her bed, and hunger for food.

Rumbles of thunder rang out, and the rain that had eased earlier, grew heavy again, pounding against the thin glass of the window.

Quietly, she grabbed some tape, and a piece of paper, quickly writing down a note and sticking it to the doorway; a note for Johnny when or if he woke up. Thinking of her plan, she got up from her seat by the window, and went over to the seat holding Johnny's clothes.

Maddie folded his wet clothes and carried them under her arm as she when to fetch her sketchpad, and her wallet, before retreating out of the room, and heading into the lobby which was just several floors down.

Her black waves swayed around her face, as she walked through to the front desk. A burly man with a goatee and a bald head looked to her with a respectful glance.

"Sir, er," Maddie checked the employee's tag on his uniform before continuing, "Cameron, where do I go to get to the Laundromat?"

Cameron pointed to the hall next to the bakery and stated, "Down the hall, the second door on your right. And if you live in the hotel or rent a room for more than a week, you are free to use the Laundromat to no expense."

Madeleine nodded politely to the man before rushing off toward the specified hallway. Opening the door, she found a room filled with almost a dozen washing machines and dryers with cabinets probably filled with specific brands of laundry soap and stain removal.

Walking up to the desk that sat in the corner with the register, she pulled out her card, showing to the employer that she was currently renting a room for several months. It listed her whole name, her age, (18) and her blue collar job that was only a few blocks away from the hotel.

The woman behind the desk took the card, swiped it on the machine, and gave it back before starting, "how can I be of assistance?" Madeleine fingered the damp fabric in her arms before replying in a serious tone, "I need you to wash these for me. Please, do try to remove any blood stains you find. See, my friend is a medical surgin, and had to attend to a patient. Massive hemmoraging and blood loss from several bullet wounds. But I'm getting off topic, could you wash these for me?"

The woman looked disgusted as Madeleine held the clothes out to her. "Yeah…., come back in an hour or so, we'll have them cleaned for you in…. eugh… no time."

Now free from carrying the clothes, she exited the room and headed to the public restroom to clean off her hands. Once she finished with that, she headed to the bakery, and looked over the counters filled with large helpings of food. Muffins, hash browns, ham, toast, pancakes, waffles, bagels, sausage patties and links, bacon… so much food.

Her teeth clenched together as she walked past most of the food, picking out a white napkin and grabbing a slice of toast. No jelly, no butter, nothing to put on top; just regular, wheat toast will do.

Her mind calculated the calories and carbs due to habit and caution.

72 Calories… about 13 carbs…

Perhaps she should eat half. She can't consume that much food. One whole slice was too much…

Eat the whole slice. Grab the sausage, the waffle and add the syrup, butter, oh… the salty tang of butter. The fried crunch of hash browns, eat it all; grab the knife and cut yourself open, let it out, purge your hunger, fill you up, purge the taste, fill you up, purge the need, fill you up, purge the want.

Her eye twitched as she pushed out the sound of her conscience.

Her hand grabbed a knife, and she cut the slice in half, throwing the other bit of bread in the trash before grabbing a cup and heading toward the coffee machine. She filled her Styrofoam cup and looked around the room, spotting a booth close to the corner.

She headed to the table, and sat down in the rubbery seat and set the sketchpad down along with her coffee and her toast.

Pushing away the food, she opened the pad, and took out the pencil. Her hand was trembling horribly, and she couldn't draw a thing.

…grab the knife cut yourself open, let it out, purge your hunger, fill you up, purge the dream, fill you up, purge the tears, fill you up, purge the poison…

She popped her knuckles and forced herself to breath. Slowly, in and out… _Calm the fuck down Madeleine… it's all fine; you're perfectly fine…_

Her hands had stopped shaking now, and she started to sip her coffee, that familiar sour liquid burning her throat.

People used drugs, food, alcohol and sex to get rid of the nerves. Madeleine simply used coffee. That numbing sensation spreading her mouth took her mind off of things; the feeling of tiny needles poking at her tongue.

Looking up to the television that hung on the wall above her, she watched the daily news report, listing all of the crimes along with (SURPRISE!) the man Johnny had drained found over in the alley they were just in, almost a day ago.

She scoffed at the television as the reporter continued on with the list of murders and burglaries that have recently happened within the city.

Putting the cup to her mouth, she realized she ran out of coffee. She frowned and looked at her toast dejectedly before getting up and heading to the coffee machine. Her stomach cried and growled for food and just before she stopped at the dispenser, she saw a tall, thin man standing at the entrance of the room; Johnny C.

She smiled to him, her stomach crying out to gain Maddie's attention, and fill herself up with the fattening poison that lined the buffet tables.

After getting situated with the coffee, Madeleine went to the table, and sat down quickly, flipping her sketchbook closed with her shaking hands. Damn it!

* * *

><p>(JOHNNY'S POV)<p>

Johnny woke up to find himself, lying half-conscious on a bed. A large frown fell on his face as he realized that he was lightly sleeping, and letting himself become defenseless. Unaware of where he was, and why he was there, he looked around the room, frantically trying to calm down his senses.

Now he was fully awake, he was tensing up with confusion, and fitting himself into his normal defensive position.

The room was a hotel suite, with a bathroom over to the front of the room, a nightstand with an alarm clock/ Ipod-Iphone dock, the bed with green patterned covers, a table over in the corner of the room, just parallel to the window which gave large view of the city. A few chairs sat around the small table by the window, and another chair sat beside the bed, on the far side of the nightstand.

The lights were turned off, and the light from the window didn't help at all, considering that there was a storm raging on outside. Johnny's eyebrows were knitted together in confusion and disappointment, knowing that he shouldn't have fallen asleep.

His eyes scanned the room once more, finding a letter stuck to the door. Johnny jumped off the bed and raced to the door, hoping for some answers.

_Johnny,_

_I'm out in the lobby, getting breakfast; apparently they don't serve FULL room service here. Breakfast is free here, so you're welcome to join me if you like. _

_I took your clothes to the Laundromat, seeing that they were still wet. Don't worry about the blood stains and stuff, I thought of an excuse; if you're not comfortable wandering around the hotel in pajamas, I set out some clothes for you to change into._

_I know, you probably don't like the idea of sleeping and waking up to unfamiliar surroundings, and I know you might not FULLY trust me yet, but give me some time._

_See you in a bit._

_Love,_

_Madeleine_

Johnny grit his teeth as he remembered what had happened last night. The hug….

Johnny shivered as he looked around the room, looking for the clothes. Right where his wet clothes were before sat a pile of clean clothes. He ignored them, seeing that his pajamas were perfectly comfortable. He strolled to the restroom to clean his hands, before going back into the main room.

Johnny's lips formed a straight line as he spotted his steel-toed boots sitting beside the chair. He nudged them with his foot, noting that they were still soggy and wet.

He'd just have to go barefoot.

Johnny's face fell, his mind raging with questions. What was going on at the house? When will he need to fetch more blood for the wall? Hopefully the Doughboys weren't up to any mischief at the house…

Sighing, Johnny opened the door and looked down the hall, several lights lining the walls. The floors were rugged with a reddish pattern, and the stairs over to his right were only several feet away.

Making his way slowly down the stairs, Johnny became wary and cautious of the visitors and employers wandering through the halls and stairway. His eyes roamed through the lobby, which was quite big, accompanying a cheap chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The front desk was occupied by two employees, one male and the other female, dressed in their daily uniform.

The lobby had a tile floor, several couches and chairs lining the walls, along with a small fountain in the center. Several openings in the room led to halls and elevators, while several led to the staff room, the laundry room and the kitchen and bakery.

He wandered over to the bakery, and found several tables, few of which were taken with people, minding their own business while quietly eating their morning meal. A counter sat over to the side, holding a buffet of warm food, while another counter sat beside it with the classic cereal, toast, waffles and pancakes. Over to the side, sitting next to the cereal, were coffee machines, both decaf and regular, along with an assortment of juices and more beverages.

Prying his eyes away from the food section, he looked back to the tables and booths. He spotted someone familiar, sitting in a booth, her back turned toward him, watching the television that was propped up in the corner of the room. Her wavy black locks were shadowing her pale face complexion, and she still wore her clothes that she wore the previous day.

She set down what she had in her hand, leaving it on the table before picking up her Styrofoam cup and walking over to the coffee dispenser.

Madeleine looked over to the entrance of the room, Johnny having caught her eye, and smiled. Although her smile was very convincing, the shine in her eyes were gone, and it looked as if she forced the smile.

He'll worry about it later.

Johnny went up to the counter with the cereals and the classic food, and picked out a bagel. He added a napkin which had the hotel emblem printed on the bottom right corner, along with a plastic knife, and a small package of cream cheese.

Nny looked up from his hands and scanned the area, finding the booth in which Maddie was sitting in. She was fumbling with a sketchpad and a pencil, flipping it closed with shaky hands.

Hmm…

* * *

><p>(AUTHOR'S NOTE)<p>

Confused about why Johnny passed out?

Well… I am too. But he was sleeping for only a few minutes. (somewhere around 30 minutes in total, since he was, in fact, an insomniac. I wouldn't let Johnny sleep too long; it would take away from his character…. But sleeping in general took away his originality…. WHATEVER. It was a LONG night.)

(Yes, it was around late afternoon when they got into the hotel, and it was around 5 ish when they started talking. EHH! The time layout is kinda warped in this story… so don't judge me…)

Yes, Madeleine is still anorexic, which explains why she counted the calories, the carbs, and her hands started shaking.

More dialogue in the next chapter, I assure you.

** remember, Johnny despises the thought of sleep. hates it with his WHOLE LIFE!

REVIEW FOR YOUR LIVES! I accept reviews of all kinds… and It doesn't matter one way or another if you review several times, you guys don't know HOW happy I get when I find out that you took the time to write your opinion on the story. So… REVIEW!

"_Dreaming of a world that has stopped dreaming of me. Going away, driven by the more desirable idea of new dreams. And I don't seem to be accepting it. And I don't WANT to accept! I don't want to get used to losing the few things that make me feel! I saw the filth, __**BUT I HAD SOEMTHING.**_

_And the noise in my head, with all its voices, repeats one thing. Incessantly more than anything else – "__**I'm so sorry.**__ I'm so sorry__**. Don't let go of me now**__. Dream of me. Don't let me wake up." But I know that is only noise._

_Shit."_

_-Johnny the Homicidal Maniac/ Jhonen Vasquez_


	8. Chapter 8

(MADELEINE'S POV)

Johnny sat down across from Madeleine, a tired, somewhat irritated look on his face. Setting down his bagel, oh… bagel…. Cream cheese…

_Shit!_

A loud grumble came from her stomach and she clutched her torso, trying to hide away the pain flooding her abdomen. No bagel for you. No.

…_Pleaasssuurree yourself in the food… eat and release yourself of the burden that weighs you down… purge it out once your finished; don't let the poison infiltrate from within…._

Maddie pulled her eyes away from the bagel, and sat on her hands which were shaking uncontrollably.

"So… I see that you're in a nice mood. Get some coffee, it'll settle down the nerves," Maddie said shakily.

Johnny scoffed in a jokingly manner and looked her up and down before picking up his knife and started cutting his bagel. "Settle down nerves? Then would you explain to me why your hands are shaking? You seem… uneasy."

_Fuck. How did he know?_

"You already asked your question, so… it's your turn to answer mine," Johnny added.

Madeleine's face twitched with a twinge of guilt, and anger along with the burn of resentment picking at the marrow in her bones. Her head screamed at her every being, commanding her to pick up the toast, and shove it down her throat. Go to the buffet line, fill a bowl of cereal, a muffin, biscuits, rolls, bacon, more, more, more more! But she fought against herself, that image that resided within her.

The fat pockets hanging from her torso, the cellulite covering her overweight legs… her arms hanging with flab…

NO! NO, she wouldn't go back to that again. She wouldn't let herself. Fight the hunger. FIGHT IT!

_Eat, curb the pain. Taste the sweetness of the jelly, the crisp flake of the biscuit, the sugary liquid of the syrup… lather your tongue in the oily butter, soak yourself in the milk of the cereal…_

_Take the blade and run it along the palm of your hand after you finish. Punish your hands and arms for giving into the addiction…_

(JOHNNY'S POV)

Johnny stopped smoothing the cheese onto the bagel, and glanced up at Madeleine, her face clammy and pale. He let go of the knife, and straightened his back, fully and completely looking at Madeleine for the first time. Yes, he glanced at it, he might have looked at her for a few seconds, but his mind was always pre-occupied with more important things than to concentrate on the appearance.

His eyes scanned her sunken eyes, increasingly black circles rimmed her eyes without the help of makeup, and her bony jaw-line stretching out across her skin. Her arms were sickeningly thin joints, connecting to her chest. Her thin, black hair hung around her disturbingly thin face, while sharp cheekbones stood out against her soft, pale skin; her stormy-blue eyes were glistening with tears.

"I'm hungry." Maddie said flatly, trying to hide the uneven sound of her voice.

Johnny narrowed his eyes, scanning Madeleine once again before replying, "then why won't you eat that piece of toast sitting in front of you? I'm sure it's perfectly edible." Madeleine was hiding something. "Madeleine, we made the agreement last night that we were to be completely truthful and open to each other to what we had to say. Why won't you eat?"

Her eye twitched and she took a sip from her coffee before putting it down and sitting on her hands once again.

"Two nights ago, when we here sitting on the cliff, talking to each other, I explained to you why I had the cuts. Well… beforehand, before all of the self-abuse had started, I was anorexic. I told you this, but I said that the problem hand mended, and I had gone back to eating a regular diet…. That was a lie. Fuck… I… I-I feel like _shit, _knowing that I lied to you about this, but… I did it anyway," Madeleine confessed with a hint of apology.

"I'm still sick," Madeleine said with a tone of finality in her voice, an unsure smile crawling on her lips as she cocked her head to the side. "I won't let myself go back to the way I was before. If I let myself just… taste… I won't stop."

Her forced smile twitched with irritation before falling into a frown.

Johnny heard a loud grumble sound across the table, and quickly heard an aggravated hiss, substituted for a retort, come from Madeleine. She hung her head, her eyes pierced with hate and agony as she glared at the bread sitting across from her.

Johnny, himself, was rather skinny, but his body type wasn't forced to appear that way. He ate well enough, but the exercise he did from chasing down his victims, lugging around heavy, deathly tools, and other odd things kept him like that. And from the looks of Maddie, she could… possibly be skinnier than himself.

Johnny's own fingers twitched with curiosity as his eyes wandered over Madeleine's dangerously thin features. Biting his tongue, disliking the idea of contact again, he asked, "Can I try something?"

Madeleine's stomach grumbled in response and she just shrugged, too caught up in her mind to care. Johnny looked around, seeing that nobody was in the room but them, and sighed.

Getting up from Johnny's side of the booth, Nny curiously walked over to Maddie, and clenched his hand in his fist before reaching out and taking her thin arm. Johnny rolled up her sleeve, exposing the cuts, and rolled the sleeve up higher yet.

***Johnny circled his hand around her bicep, until his middle finger and thumb touched together. ***

Nny's eyes widened and he pulled away in shock, his face filled with pity and slight worry. Johnny breathed, realizing that he held his breath the whole time, and grit his teeth. He rolled her sleeve back down over her bicep and over her scars before going back into the buffet line. Grabbing a small plate, he added a slice of bacon, a muffin, and some eggs onto the dish. He headed to the silverware, and added a fork before returning to the booth.

(MADELEINE'S POV)

Johnny left in silence, leaving Madeleine to her thoughts…

_Give in to the hunger, eat. Eat it. ALL OF IT._

_Let yourself feel the metal graze upon your skin, let your pains flow away with the drop of crimson. Fake the smile, and cover the wound; eat and repeat._

Johnny came back to the table with a plate of warm food… shit….. oh, fuck no…

No,no no no no no… Johnny wasn't going to do this to her.

Madeleine grimaced at the sight of the food, as the smell crept up to her nostrils and taunting her.

"Maddie, you vowed to me that we would fix this. Whether it be the 'friendship'," Johnny cringed at the word, "the Doughboys, the Wall, self-abuse, or anorexia, you said that we were going to fix this. If we are to be friends," Johnny hesitated once again on the word, "we must act like friends. Friends are there for each other, no matter what the circumstances might be, or what the punishment might inflict upon us. _Fight it."_

Madeleine would've blushed from the flattery of being called a friend, but she was busy, trying to drive out that sound, the noise. The voice was biting at her stomach, forcing her abdomen to cry out in a pain of hunger. Maddie's nose scrunched up, disgusted at herself as she reached for the muffin on the plate.

The warmth of the bread spread through her hands as her arms covered in goose-bumps. The sweet smell of the sugar wafted through the air as she tore off a piece of the muffin.

Muffin; calories: estimated to 300. Carbs: somewhere between 50 and 60.

She glanced over to Johnny, her eyes narrowed and her lips, a thin line across her face. Nny, however, continued to spread the cream cheese over his bagel, seeming distracted.

Wading up the small bit of muffin in between her thumb and index finger, she flicked it over her shoulder, sure that he wasn't looking.

Johnny put down his bagel, and looked up to Madeleine, his normal, psychotic look plastered onto his face. His pupils were tiny specks, glaring at Maddie with a hint of threat in his voice, "Do you think I'm stupid? I saw that. Don't get me wrong, but if you're not willing to take care of yourself with my help, just as we agreed last night, then there is absolutely no reason why I should stay."

Madeleine was taken aback from his statement. Was he really threatening her because she wouldn't eat a muffin? "You lied to me too, thinking that a small fib wouldn't fuck things up. But it did. Madeleine, the least you can do, is eat a small, just a small, piece of food, it being muffin, toast, whatever, as long as you eat it, I'm fine."

Madeleine looked through Johnny's words, hearing a tone of possessiveness within, along with a hint of worry and disappointment. Ashamed of herself for being so ignorant, she picked off another piece of the muffin before taking it to her mouth and nibbling on the soft delicacy that spread through her mouth.

Johnny looked down at his bagel and said, "look, all I know is that if you can't help yourself, you might end up dead. I don't want to go on, knowing that my friend had died due to hunger, when I could have helped her. Like you said, 'we can fix this'."

(JOHNNY'S POV)

Johnny finished off his bagel, and was surprised enough to find most of the muffin, eaten, along with a tiny piece of the bacon, and a little less than a quarter of her eggs finished off.

Nodding with some approval, he got up, and threw the trash away, feeling better now that Madeleine had eaten _something._ Nny retreated back to the booth, standing several respectful feet away from the girl and hearing her speak, "your clothes still have a while until they're finished. So, we can hang out in the suite until then."

Johnny nodded in agreement as boredom crept through him…. The wall would be dry by now, something needed to suffice for a fresh coat, soon…

Another boom of thunder shook outside, stating that the storm outside wasn't nearing the end. More rain fell upon the city, pouring down on each building the tears and turmoil of the society back down upon itself.

Yet, two differing humans with a differing outlook on life, full respect and welcome to the depressing weather.

Rain and depression was just the reminder that nothing was ever truly… perfect.

_(MEANWHILE, BACK AT HOUSE 777)_

_(Mr. Fuck's POV)_

The shack looking house was silent as the rain pounded heavily onto the roof, the pitter-patter of raindrops echoing through the empty rooms.

Mr. Eff was frustrated; angry that that woman lured Johnny out of the house. An arrogant soul, trapped inside an attractive body; Johnny fails to see the lies behind the veil.

"Fuckety-fuck. Something always has to get in the way, lowering the chance that I could be free… D-Boy, we need to come up with something, soon, or else his mind will be programmed into a lie."

Psycho Doughboy just looked over to him, a sly smile on his face, "My mission here is accomplished… soon, my master will reclaim me… yessss…."

Mr. Fuck let out an aggravated hiss, bowing his head down in thought…

After a minute or two of intense thought, an idea planted into Mr. Eff's head; an evil smile stretching across his Styrofoam face.

A plan woven into perfection…

(AUTHOR'S NOTE)

What's Mr. Eff up too?

Why was Johnny so possessive over Madeleine?

Will things EVER be the same again?

You will find out soon enough… Muahahaha… cliff hangers…

DISCLAIMER:

*** I used this idea from one of Laurie Halse Anderson's books, _Wintergirls; _I simply borrowed the idea, but give full credit to L.H.A. I do NOT own that move in the story.

Johnny and all JTHM characters belong to Jhonen Vasquez, not me. I, however, own Madeleine(and If you haven't already figured out by now, Madeleine is my name, therefore, stating that she is me in the story; surprise!)

Review, I ADORE any readers and their reviews, it brings tears to my eyes knowing that you care enough to write what you think about the story.

Thank you SO much for the support on my story! I'll update, and try to keep the chapters coming as soon as I can. No weekly updates for you! It'll be more like daily updates, considering how much I spend my time each day, writing.

I'M GETTING OFF TOPIC…

But anyway… THANK YOU!

"_Something's gone wrong with me. I know that. This place has made me sick, somehow. All I smell is the shit in this diseased reality. All I can see is things full of rot and riddled with stingers."_

_-Johnny the Homicidal Maniac/ Jhonen Vasquez_


	9. Chapter 9

(AUTHOR'S NOTE) bold text is Johnny. Italicized is Mr. Eff. Underlined is Maddie. (note that I start doing this when the dialogue gets confusing)

* * *

><p>(MADELEINE'S POV)<p>

(20 Minutes later)

The couple was sitting beside each other, on the bed with several scratchpads and booklets, folders and notepads full of drawings set out before them.

Johnny, having gotten used to his surroundings once again, sat in a legs, criss-crossed position, while Madeleine sat beside him in the same position, but had her arms wrapped around her skinny torso. Her face held no emotion as she eyed Johnny, who was gazing at her sketches with a glint of awe in his eye.

He flipped the page to a black and white sketch of an angel, one that she had particularly done with such care and creativity; each feather of the wing delicately designed with perfection, all the way to the regular human body. However, she drew the angel as a man, holding a bulky sword which dragged onto the ground, shimmering with blood.

"How the fuck can you do this?" Johnny looked at it with narrowed eyes, studying each trace of the line and the soft shade of the pencil due to the angle of the wings.

"I don't know. I just… do it. Practice I guess…"

The phone rang in the room, informing them that the front desk had called.

Madeleine got up from the bed, and trudged over to the phone sitting next to Johnny, whom was to fixed on the drawings to care about what the call was about. "Hello…?"

A man with a hearty voice spoke into the phone, "Madeleine, your laundry is ready to be picked up."

Madeleine nodded her head, disappointed at the limited time she had left before Johnny went back to his house. "Sure… I'll be there to pick them up."

Hanging up, she looked over to Johnny dejectedly before faking a smile and saying, "The clothes are done. I'll be right back."

Her face fell as her back turned to him and fled out the door, down the hall and to the lobby.

* * *

><p>(JOHNNY'S POV)<p>

"I'll be right back." Madeleine put on a smile, which Johnny knew was masking her feelings.

Madeleine left the room, quietly closing the door on the way out, leaving Johnny to ponder on his thoughts, alone.

Pushing himself off of the chair, he trudged over to the wooden table and set Madeleine's sketchbook's, notepads and more, down onto the surface.

Johnny looked out the window as little raindrops rolled down the glass. Just as he was about to walk about the room, a searing pain overwhelmed Johnny's head, and a voice, clear as glass rang through his ears, penetrating his thoughts.

"_Trickster…,"_ the word rang through his head as he tried to define the voice inside of his head_, "simply winning your sanity through lies…"_

"**Mr. FUCK? HOW…?"** Johnny's eyes flipped open, but his vision was faded; he could still see the room around him, but the image was distorted and blurry. Johnny started to sway on his feet, unsure of what was happening, his knees buckling beneath him.

"_Your sanity feeds on my mortality. It doesn't take very much to drive a grown man crazy…_

_Eventually, due to time, your mental state was in a condition so severe that you transmitted some of yourself over to both me and D-Boy, letting us see into your current state and exactly what you were doing at the moment, and giving me the ability to control both your sanity AND your physical body. After noting the fact that she lied to you, I decided to kick in for some fun._

In the corner of his eye, he saw the outline of Mr. Eff's eyes, the black arrows and spikes rimming the edges of his eyes, and the center staring back at him.

"_You fail to see the lies in her words… you heard her confess yourself, yet you push yourself to deny it."_

Mr. Fuck's body flickered around his eyes, a frown on his face as he had his head bowed down, still glaring at him. The body outline only lasted a second before it flickered back off.

* * *

><p>(MADELEINE'S POV)<p>

Opening the door to her room, she heard fumbling and yelling on the other side of the door, making her hesitant to turn the handle. Peeking inside, she didn't find Johnny, but she heard him speaking to himself. Quietly, she entered the room, and closed the door with her other hand, hanging the clean clothes on the hooks beside the door.

Walking farther into the room, she found Johnny backed up into a corner, his hands covering his face. He was gripping his hair as he yelled to himself, **"…LYING? EFF, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TRUST SOMEONE! FUCK!-**_No, listen, she's hiding behind the skin, she's found a way inside with you completely off guard. You let the pesky little bitch into your head, and she's _– **NO FUCK! MADELEINE IS WORTH- **_JOHNNY C, YOU FUCKING SHIT, LISTEN TO ME, NOTHING IS BETTER THEN…"_

Johnny looked up, and Madeleine backed away in terror as he got up, picking up her blade. He found her knife that she used for the cuts, and now he had full access to the weapon that she dreaded the most. How could he have known where she hid it?

Madeleine looked into his eyes, backing away slowly at the sight of his face. The outline of his eyes faded in and out with black spikes facing away from the eyes. On the sides of his eyes were thin, black arrows leading to the sides of his face, and her mind finally recognized what was lining his eyes.

"Johnny… Johnny you DON'T have to do this. Look WITHIN, FIGHT IT, listen for the truth. You have a CHOICE!

* * *

><p>(JOHNNY'S POV)<p>

Johnny threw his body towards her, making her slam into the wall with Johnny pressing her knife to her neck. With his other hand, Nny pinned her slender neck to the wall, impossible for escape, **"NO! I WON'T GIVE IN! I CONTROL-** _FINISH HER! SHE IS OF NO USE TO YOU! FINISH HER!"_

"Johnny if you can hear me, Johnny, just try to listen to me; do-do you remember when you almost killed me? You had me hanging in chains, threatening me and giving me shit abou-about what it was like being alone. Johnny you're NOT ALONE IN THIS!"

His vision was totally blacked out now, giving him the disadvantage of knowing if whether or not Nny was hurting his hostage. But, the only thing he could see now was the flickering image of Mr. Fuck, who had an outraged look on his face.

"_LIES!" _Nny's grasp on the knife was shaking, desperately trying to fight for the upper-hand of the fight.

"Johnny, we found each other, LISTEN TO ME JOHNNY, you LET ME GO. FOR A REASON THAT YOU KNOW AND CHERISH DEEP INSIDE OF YOU! I GAVE YOU THE CHANCE TO TALK AFTER YOU THREATENED ME THE SECOND TIME IN YOUR HOUSE. Johnny, I left, solely because you ordered me to, but you came after me, wanting to set things RIGHT! LOOK FOR THE REASON!"

Johnny took several shaky, un-even breathes, **"Let go of me, Eff**-_FINISH HER!"_

"Johnny, I took you to my hotel room last night, fully aware that you had the capability of killing me, but I TRUSTED YOU! I STILL DO! Remember what I said? DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT I SAID JOHNNY?"

Madeleine's eyes were filling with tears, as she looked at his face. The lines flashed on and off of his face as Johnny tried to control his own actions. "I SAID THAT I WOULD HELP YOU NO MATTER WHAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE. I SAID I WOULD BE THERE FOR YOU JUST AS ANY OTHER FRIEND WOULD! But I took you in my arms ….."

"**Eeeeenughh….,"** Johnny groaned with pain as he struggled against the pressure, the sound of blood pounding through his ears, straining himself to listen to Madeleine's comforting voice, "**what was it, why dare take the chance**_-KILL HER! CUT HER THROAT OUT, undeserving little-"_

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, DAMN IT!"

Madeleine's voice shook with emotion as hot tears streamed down her face. She took her free hand to Johnny's hand which held the sharp silver to her neck, and grabbed his wrist, pushing the blade away.

Mr. Eff's voice stopped abruptly, and the lines and arrows faded from his eyes temporarily. Dropping the knife, Johnny fell to his knees, whimpered, and retreated back to the corner where he sat just several moments before, confused, hurt, and speechless. At loss for words.

"It's because I love you…" Madeleine repeated letting her broken heart take over her emotions.

Her body retreated to the floor, and she took the knife in her hands, fully aware that whatever was happening inside of him, was bound to put him back into the state of being partially possessed by one of his own Styrofoam decorations.

A large bolt shot through the sky, lighting up the clouds in a magnificent ray of light, before shutting down the electricity in the hotel.

Little grey raindrops plopped onto the glass of the window, reflecting off of the floor of the room and darkening the scene surrounding them.

* * *

><p>(MEANWHILE: BACK AT HOUSE 777)<p>

(Psycho Doughboys' POV)

"NO!"

D-Boy flung himself to Mr. Eff, who was whispering in a persuasive and angry tone to the corner of the room.

HE WOULDN'T LET MR. FUCK KEEP HIM FROM HIS MASTER. MR. EFF WOULD NOT WIN THIS EASILY….

Mr. Eff fell to the floor, a chip of his black doughboy hat breaking off due to the impact of the fall. D-Boy stood atop of Mr. Fuck's straight back, not easily weighing down Mr. Eff, who got up, with D-Boy clinging onto his back, digging into Mr. Eff's Styrofoam back, and plucking out white tufts of the possessed doughboy decoration.

Backing into a wall, Mr. Eff rid Psycho Doughboy from being on his back, and turned around, getting tackled in the face. "WHY WON'T YOU SERVE OUR MASTER? LEAVE JOHNNY BE!"

Mr. Fuck growled in response, adding a collection of wrinkles to his forehead in irritation before attacking; the battle raging on with perseverance and personal arrogance.

* * *

><p>(AUTHOR'S NOTE)<p>

Until next chapter! Heh… you should be SO lucky that I update almost twice a day. I apologize for the underlining, the italicizing, the bold type for being so... confusing.

If you don't understand what was happening to Johnny, he was being semi- possessed by Mr. Fuck, getting the outline of Mr. Fuck's eyes on his appearance.

The moments when the spikes and arrows fade are when Johnny gains control of himself. (I hope that made sense to you... If it didn't... er... message me and I'll try to explain it more thoroughly to you then.)

Disclaimer!

I don't own JtHM or any of the characters. I only own Madeleine(and if you haven't already noticed, Madeleine is [me] as my OC for the story)

And I don't know if I should base this story off of a song…

But if it WERE to be based off of a song… it would be….

Again – Flyleaf (please…. I don't personally care, but do be aware of other readers reading the story and reviews; if you find flyleaf in any way religious, keep it to yourself. _Only mainly for the respect of other readers_.) THANKYOU! :D

I swear, I am LOVING the reviews you give me; it SERIOUSLY warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes….. Continue on if you wish, even if you already have reviewed.

"_What else is there to do? It's so incredibly lovely out, and it's not as if anyone is gonna drop by, though on nights like this, I wish somebody would. I really don't want to be alone right now._

_Fuck._

_Another one of these nights…"_

-Johnny the Homicidal Maniac/ Jhonen Vasquez


	10. Chapter 10

(AUTHOR'S POV) Johnny is still bold and Italicized is the voice inside of Madeleine's head.

* * *

><p>(NARRATOR'S POV)<p>

Where does logic's roll play in life; does reason even exist in this oppressing, spinning ball of filth? We, being the ignorant offspring of the previous generation, push away the truth, hiding from the torment that is unfairly inflicted upon us…

Most could not comprehend the sickening reality that we are shielded away from… But only few escape from the sanity, and experience true suffering… most of which are called 'freaks', 'mentally disabled', 'psychotic', 'maniacs', and…. 'wacky'.

Just misunderstood humans; innocence and torture perfecting the society which is programmed into secrets and lies.

* * *

><p>(JOHNNY'S POV)<p>

Johnny was curled into a little ball in the corner of a large hotel suite. The connection that was shared between Johnny and Mr. Fuck was cut off, leaving Johnny in a short phase of insecurity and emotional awareness.

Facing the dark corner, Johnny put his hands to his head, grabbing at his hair and tugging with worry, while his head pounded with the increasing irritation of a headache.

Whispering to himself to stabilize himself, he squeezed his eyes shut,*** "**the effects of it all… the distance… and… and it hur…,"***** Johnny's fingernails dug into his scalp, the pain forcing him to take pry away his hands and cover his ears. **"Why can't I turn it off; shut out the noise?"**

Johnny grit his teeth, and pressed himself further into the corner, closing the space he had between him and the wall as he heard Mr. Eff's words echo through him. His attention was taken back to the black void that surrounded him; the eyes of Mr. Fuck burning into him once again.

"**Fuck around with someone ELSE, EFF. I'M NOT YOUR PUPPET!"**

Johnny's face twitched with anger and his eyes shot open at the sound of the doughboy's manic laughter ringing through his head. A light sheen of sweat covered his forehead as his eyes stayed on his locked target, Mr. Eff.

Penetrating the noise, the laughter, the static that overwhelmed his senses, was a familiar voice speaking to him. "You have a choice…"

"**Bunny… Nailbunny, switch it off… switch me OFF!"**

The familiar sound of his conscience spread through him, welcoming back the temporary shift in the fight, and giving back to Johnny what all there was left of him. He couldn't see bunny, or hear him anymore knowing that Nailbunny had sacrificed itself to Johnny in giving him the power to seal the window between the doughboys and himself.

The static buzzing in his head had faded to a whisper, and Johnny's vision was restored back to normal. There was no trace of Nailbunny or Mr. Fuck in his head, giving him the pleasure of silence.

Johnny's tensed body had relaxed as he leaned into the wall, cooling his face and freeing Johnny of any anxiety within him. No, he was not under the circumstances of being free. He was far from any form of freedom; Johnny was just building up defenses against himself.

The awkward tension filled the room again in a bitter silence, Johnny's sub-conscience tugging at his muscles and whispering to him, reminding him of the threat that pushed at the walls of his home. But Johnny just stayed there, listening to the soft patter of raindrops hit against the window and the roof of the hotel.

Johnny's eyebrow rose in confusion as he stared at the floor, spotting Mr. Samsa crawling along the carpet of Madeleine's hotel room**. "What are **_**you **_**doing here Mr. Samsa? I thought I killed you… several times…,"** picking up the insect, he watched it squirm in between his thumb and forefinger before flicking it away, bored and uninterested.

Johnny angled his head, letting himself look back around the room.

Nothing was out of place, everything seemed normal except for the woman whom was in the opposite corner of the room, looking at Johnny with pity shining in her tear-filled eyes.

One knee was brought up to her chest, while the other leg was laid out on the floor in front of her, her back pressed up against the wall in a comfortable position. Her throat had a light cut on it, letting a few droplets of blood roll down her neck, and catch in her collarbone, and her already pale skin had lightened to a sickening shade lighter. With one elbow propped up on her knee which she held to her chest, she supported her head, her bangs shadowing half of her face.

In her other hand, she held the knife that Johnny was holding only minutes before; her hand tightly gripped around the handle with the flat edge of the blade running along her covered, sliced forearm.

Madeleine's face held no emotion, but her eyes shined with pity as several unmistakable tears slid down her face.

"That was… one of the doughboys wasn't it?" Madeleine spoke, breaking the silence between them.

Johnny just nodded his head, trying to recover from the shock in his system. Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself off of the ground, steadying himself as the blood rushed to his head, making Johnny's vision blacken at the edges temporarily.

"**Mr. Fuck; he is convinced you are… simply a distraction; something to be eliminated."**

"**I however, don't quite know what to believe," **Johnny walked over to Maddie and stood over her**, "or what to feel; now Nailbunny is gone, and all I have now are the doughboys and myself to restrain myself." **

Johnny frowned as he continued to look at Madeleine, wishing for that surge of comfort to wash over him again, trying to keep himself from hearing the harsh truth in his words.

"**Love is not what defines me. I can hope, I can wish, I can cry, laugh, and need that comfort; the love. Madeleine, love is not an emotion that I can feel or return very easily. But, in the general sense of the term, all I can do to return the affection is to keep you safe, from myself. Before I come to conclusions, I need some time to set things right."**

Johnny's eye twitched with uneasiness as he looked away from the girl, spotting his clothes hanging on a hook beside the door.

"**If you don't mind, I'll change into my regular clothes before I go."**

Heading to his cleaned clothes, he picked them off the hooks, and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

* * *

><p>(MADELEINE'S POV)<p>

Johnny came back out of the bathroom a few minutes later, changed into his normal style of clothes.

Madeleine's misty eyes kept her from looking at Johnny directly. Her neck stung due to the small cut on her throat, but she ignored this, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to spill onto her face. He couldn't leave now… he promised that he would be there. He promised…

She fingered the blade in her hands, absentmindedly slicing the tip of her forefinger. Wiping away the blood on her hand, she looked over to the grey window, lightning flashing in the distance.

_Let the knife lick your skin… pry open the cover and empty yourself… let the sting of the cut take you away; break the strings that bind you and let the blood seep through…_

_Feed the hunger from within… purge the rest before you begin… take the blade and run it across your ribs…. Let the sin out and penetrate you; shit, you will never win…_

Perfect. Her one… and only friend that she had… was leaving her.

Fucking hell…

"**Madeleine, you knew that this would happen, that I would have to leave, or you would end up dead somehow. I have to…"**

"We can figure something out." Maddie's voice broke as her hands started to shake again. "It doesn't have to end this way, Johnny. I can't stand being.. alo…," Madeleine bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Her only friend having to leave… all because he didn't want her to get hurt… FUCK THAT, he was ALREADY hurting her by LEAVING!

Johnny pulled Maddie up and looked at her in the face, watching her eyes fill up with glistening tears.

Madeleine grit her teeth as she tried to push away the emotion, trying to pull herself together. Crying was worthless. It only got in the way, and kept you from seeing the reason behind the problem. It exposed herself, letting her be open like this. It sickened her to cry over something; to be so selfish over a person.

But yet, she couldn't push away the tears.

Madeleine felt herself be gathered up in an embrace, and she completely let herself go.

"Johnny, fuck… we can….. it doesn't have to… end this way!" She tried to hold back her sobs, but she failed, letting out the built up emotion inside of her. "We… we can find… another way, just don'tleavemenow… not now…"

Madeleine sniffed, and wiped her tears away with her hand, stinging her finger which she had accidentally cut, and shuddered as Johnny pulled away; the hug not lasting long enough.

(JOHNNY'S POV)

* * *

><p>Looking down at the girl, a strike of pity shook through him, tugging at his stomach and pinching at his heart. It was the ONLY way to fix this. No, this would NOT be the last time he would see her… but then again… who the hell knew what would happen, considering the fact that the doughboys were growing stronger by the moment.<p>

Something tugged at the corners of his mouth as he saw the amount of care the girl had for him. He was a murderer, a psychotic maniac, a SERIAL KILLER, but yet… it seemed that she truly cared for him. It flattered him, but only a small bit, seeing that if he too, let himself be dragged into the emotional state that Madeleine was in, the plan would fail.

Taking Madeleine by her arms, he tugged her up to her feet, and reluctantly pulled her into a hug into which she gratefully accepted. Getting a few sobs and pleas in return, he let her go and looked at her in the eye, **"I'm leaving for your protection, along with mine. We WILL see each other again, but to what cost, and when, I don't particularly know. But promise me two things before I leave."**

Madeleine frowned and looked up, blinking away more tears that threatened to fall and took a deep breath before answering in reply, "and what would _that_ be?" Madeleine laughed, but not with happiness or joy. It was with insane sadness.

She giggled and she looked back to Johnny when she finished. "Figures…"

Johnny narrowed his eyes before answering with finality in his voice**, "don't forget me. I won't dare forget the memories I had with you if you won't forget the ones you had with me. Second… try to eat for me; okay? Fuck…"**

Johnny gave her one more quick hug adding, "I just need some time. Just give me time…" Stepping away, Johnny looked Madeleine over one last time before saying, **"goodbye Madeleine."** His voice betrayed him however, making it waver with sorrow.

Damn.

Johnny headed toward the door and touched the doorknob, hesitating. He hoped this was the right choice.

Opening the door, he headed out of the room, cringing at the sound of Maddie's sobs from behind the now closed door. Nny headed down the stairs and through the lobby, exiting the large doors and entering the storm outside.

Pulling up the collar of his coat, Johnny looked back to the hotel, seeing Madeleine look out the window of her bedroom before turning around and continuing on back to his deathly destination that await for him.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE)

Well…. Sorry to say this but… this is the last chapter for the story…

BUT WEEP NOT, FOR THE SEQUEL IS HERE!

Oh joy…

**I'm With You**

**-InvaderMads45321**

**(SEQUEL TO: AN UNSTABLE FRIENDSHIP)**

Summary:

It is mid-winter, and Johnny must cope with mourning. After Johnny successfully kills himself due to the fact that he misses sanity, the doughboys driving him mental, and the 'rumor' that Madeleine had died to anorexia, he goes to both heaven and hell(the trips to Heaven and Hell are not listed or written in the story) and is resurrected. With the doughboys replaced with Reverend Meat, Johnny has had enough, and takes his 'holiday'. (Sucky summary! :D)

What happens? Oh... will he be spending Christmas alone...?

Will Johnny be okay without Madeleine? Did she REALLY die?

(YOU WILL FIND OUT SOON!)

Hoped you liked the story. Hooray for OOCness!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Johnny or any JTHM characters. I only own Madeleine (yes that is ME, as my OC)

Review… REVIEW FOR YOUR LIVES! I appreciate the reviews and any listed opinions; it truly does make me cry, the idea that people took the time to read my story… (':

I love you ALL for your support, thank you.


	11. Sequel matters !

Hey guys, just informing you guys that the sequel title I put up for you in the previous chapter was incorrect. I changed it to "Finding Beauty in Negative Places".

Sorry for the misguided information.

I won't be updating any more of this story- because I'm on the third story now in this trilogy, yet, I'm at a serious writer's block. If and when you get to that third story, please send me some reviews or private messages for ideas to further the story. I've already gotten a few ideas, but I need details.

I honestly want to avoid lemons.

Thanks guys. And sorry for the issue.

Cheerio, goodbye, peace-out, whatever the hell you wanna call it. See ya guys, hope to hear from you soon!


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